Perspectives & Tips on Planning & Productivity

Tag Archives: organization

Below are the steps to making a powerful list that will offer you confidence that you are doing what you need to be doing, when you need to be doing it.

1) Write your list

Your first step is to write down all the tasks you can foresee having to do today and in the future—this is your master task list. Tasks that you don’t see doing anytime soon can be put on a “Someday” list.

Once you’ve chosen the specific tasks you wish to accomplish today, write them in your planner and organize your list by context. Simply put your work tasks at the top, your home tasks at the bottom and any errands or on-the-go tasks in the middle of your list. Some individuals like to go a step further and differentiate their contexts by using different colored inks.

2) Categorize your tasks by urgency and importance

This is an important step because it ultimately determines the path of your productivity.

Categorize your tasks with a coding system, using letters and numbers:

Scan through your list and select items that absolutely must be done today. Assign those the letter A. Be sure to be selective here—these are strictly time-sensitive tasks that must get done today.

Review the list for tasks that need to get done and assign the letter B to those. While not urgent, B-level tasks include the most important steps you take toward reaching your goals. You must get them done, but you won’t suffer consequences if they’re not completed today.

Put the letter C by items that are neither urgent nor important. These are items you want to do, but they can wait for another day. C-level tasks are the expendable part of your daily plan.

3) Give your tasks order

Now, number your tasks. Number each task in an order that suits your daily flow. Take into consideration your own patterns of productivity, daily energy swings, anticipated locations, and how one task affects another.

As you complete your list organization, it’s important to keep in mind that new tasks will undoubtedly pop up as you go about your day. Use the A-B-Cs and 1-2-3s of your list as a decision scale for choosing where this new task fits in. For example, you may have to decide if returning a phone call (a “B” task) is more important than meeting a project deadline (an “A” task).

4) Follow through on your list

The final step in prioritizing your list deals with your own behavior as you go through the day. The best course of action is for you to honor the priorities you’ve assigned to your tasks. By being impeccable with your word, you will enjoy better productivity and balance in your life.

Let us know if this method of prioritization works for you, and be sure to include new tips of your own.

Still working on pulling your holiday gift list together? You can stall all you want—you still have to do it. And the earlier you get it done, the more time you’ll have to enjoy the holidays with your family and friends.

So, what can you buy the people on your gift list this year? We suggest the gift of organization.

Today is Election Day across the United States. First and foremost, we encourage everyone to go out to the polls and exercise your democratic right to vote!

Second, we want to make you aware of another “election” in which all of us participate—the election of using a paper planning system or digital planning system. Many of you have already “voted” your choice, but there are a lot of individuals who are torn over which system is best for them.

Much like preparing to vote, in order to select the planning system that’s right for you, you must weigh the pros and cons of each system against each other. To help you select a winner, we’ve provided you with some of the keys points to consider when selecting a planning system. Continue reading →

Sound too good to be true? Too much like a dream? That’s the point. It’s time to design your dream office with AT-A-GLANCE.

Enter the AT-A-GLANCE “Design Your Perfect Office” Pinterest contest for your chance to win some of our organization tools. From planners and calendars to desk accessories, you can finally have the things you need to keep your office running like a dream.

How do you enter? Use the form below and follow these simple steps:

Create a Pinterest board with “Design Your Perfect Office” as the title.

Add a description to the board which includes #PerfectOffice as well as a short description of why you would love an AT-A-GLANCE organized office.

Start pinning! Pin things that you would want in your dream office, including items from AT-A-GLANCE and the AT-A-GLANCE blog. Use #PerfectOffice in the description of each pin. Pins can include, planners, calendars, desk accessories, etc.

Submit your board through our simple entry form below.

Name(required)

Email(required)

Link to Your Dream Office Pinterest Board:

That’s all it takes to be on your way to better organization with AT-A-GLANCE. Enter today!

Summer is typically associated with vacationing and enjoying relaxing free time for yourself and family. While this holds true to a point, this is also a season that presents multiple ongoing tasks, such as yard and garden work, home maintenance and improvement, and attending events ranging from youth sports to family reunions.

And with back-to-school season upon us, it’s noticeably obvious that you have a lot of things to do! But do you know where to start?

Below are the steps to making a powerful list that will offer you confidence that you are doing what you need to be doing, when you need to be doing it. Continue reading →

Your paper and digital planning tools can combine to create a powerful hybrid planning system. The key to successfully using them is to capitalize on the strengths of each tool.

Digital tools offer a mechanical advantage. They simplify the management of planning data by making storage, collaboration and organization all easy, push-button processes. On the other hand, paper provides a more human experience, which compliments the personalized nature of planning. Paper and pen inspire creativity and emotionalism perfect for defining and pursuing your dreams and goals.

Your reasons will differ for using a paper and digital planning system. Some do it by necessity—their business uses Microsoft Outlook but they still enjoy using a paper day planner. Others are evolutionary types who enjoy digital technology such as the iPhone, yet find planning more effective on paper.

Planning is never a one-size-fits-all process, so you must find which tools work best for your individual needs. Continue reading →